Welcome

New Members INFORMATION

Christ Church

Facts About Christ ChurchOur Vision, Purpose and Values

Our Root & HeritageWhat we believe

Who Can Be Members?Steps To Become Members

Your Journey With UsService and Ministries

CONTENT

Factsabout Christ Church

• A United Methodist congregation with membership and constituents little over 450 people

• 175 average in worship attendance on a regular week

• The building (the sanctuary, fellowship hall and Sunday School wing) was built in 1961. The Child Care wing was added in September 1, 2004.

• Christ Church was formerly Grange Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church which was founded in 1911. Now exactly 100 years.

• We have an active youth group and children ministry, including a youth band.

Facts about Christ Church

• We also have an active United Methodist Women unit, adult group, a Boy Scout Troop, and a place for everyone.

• We offer four different worship services and times:• Thursday at 6:30 p.m. -- Small group and informal• Sunday at 9:00 a.m. – Casual service in contemporary style

and music with a praise band.• Sunday at 10:45 a.m. – Disciple service in more traditional

style and music with a chancel choir.• Third Saturday at 6:00 p.m.—Praise worship service led by

our youth and youth praise band.

• We offer variety of Bible Studies weekly, and Children’s Church and Sunday School on Sunday.

• We are a congregation socially sensitive and engaging to the need of our local community and in the world.

• We believe that all people are equally worth and loved by God and in need of God in their lives.

• We believe the church or its members are God’s representatives in the world.

• We affirm the open policy of our national church—”open hearts, open minds, open doors.”

• All are welcomed to our services and programs and to take the steps to become members.

Our

Vision

Purpose

Values

Vision – To see God’s glory in this place

Purpose – Christ Church’s mission is to bring our church and the unchurched to believe in God’s salvation through Jesus’ ministry thus creating vibrant faith which leads from Baptism to Discipleship, works in present times, and causes church growth.

Core Values – As commanded by Jesus Christ:1.Love the Lord with all your heart – worship2.Love your neighbor as yourself – ministry3.Go and make disciples – evangelism4.Baptize and teach – fellowship5.Teach them to obey -- discipleship

United MethodistRoot and Heritage

Our Root and Heritage

Root of Methodism

John Wesley

The Beginning of a New Church

Methodism in America

Methodism Worldwide Today

Root Of Methodism• We share a history with many other Christian bodies, including

• The Early Christian Church• The Church of England (Anglican Church)• Evangelical and Moravian Churches (German)• Other Methodist Churches• The United Church of Canada

• We base our faith and doctrines on the Word of God – the Holy Bible which includes both the Old Testament and New Testament. “The Bible serves both as a source of our faith and as the basic criterion by which the truth and fidelity of any interpretation of faith is measured” (2008 Book of Discipline, p.104).

• We entered into the history of Christendom “in the Spirit of Revival to spread Scriptural Holiness” to all people.

• Birth--Born in 1703 in Epworth, England, to Samuel Wesley, an Anglican priest, and Susanna Wesley, a devout Christian.

John Wesley, Founder of Methodism

• Education--Studied at Oxford University, a fellow of Lincoln College, ordained priest of the Church of England at the age of 25.

• Origin of Methodism--While at Oxford, John Wesley and his brother Charles and few other students formed a religious society which they dedicated themselves to methodical religious life (studied the Bible and prayed daily, took communion weekly, fasted regularly, visited the prisoners, helped the poor) by which they were called “Bible Moths” and “Methodist” and it stuck.

• Missionary Experience--In 1735, John Wesley went to the American colony of Georgia as missionary and returned two years later depressed and doubting his own faith.

• Conversion—With his faith strengthened by the Moravians on the voyage to the American colony, his friends in the German Christian Society and many others, John finally rested his faith. On May 24, 1738, while attending a religious society meeting, he had a deep religious experience which he later wrote, “I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me, that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

• A New Mission—With renewed faith, John Wesley with his brother Charles and a friend, George Whitefield were energized and began to spread the Word of God’s love and salvation throughout Britain, which resulted partial in the birth of the “great awakening.”

• The neglected poor and lower classes were given their first hope of salvation and their first incentive to lead better lives through Christ.

• Services were held anywhere (in fields, barns, abandoned buildings, even mining pits).

• Great number of people were converted and organized into religious “societies” guided by Wesley’s own teaching.

The Beginning of A New Church

The First Methodist Episcopal Church in America

The Beginning of A New Church

• The Societies, a new beginning—A new church emerged• As Wesley was less welcome in his own church, and as his focus

shifted to the societies (1740),• As the societies began to take shape and form and the system of

lay/traveling preachers implemented,• As the Methodist converts were denied of communion in the Church of

England,• As Wesley began to ordain ministers to America (1784), and• As Wesley’s preachers and followers were persecuted for their beliefs

• Not A Separate Sect• Methodism began as a mission or a renewal movement within the

Church of England, not as a separate sect.• John Wesley did not set out to form a new church. He always

maintained that Methodists were part of the Anglican Church, and encouraged his followers to take part in Anglican services and sacraments whenever possible.

Methodism In America

Methodism In America• A Lay Movement—Followers of Wesley who immigrated to the

American colonies continued their faith and organized into societies.• 1766 – In New York, a small society started by Philip Embury and

Barbara Heck, later became John Street Church (1768).• Similar societies were also organized in close proximity of time in

Philadelphia, Virginia and others.• Still there were other Wesley’s followers who formed and

established societies into different denominations of Methodism.

• Missionaries Sent to America• 1769, Wesley sent his first two preachers to America.• 1784, Wesley sent Dr. Thomas Cook and Francis Asbury to lead the

new Methodist movement in America

• Three New Churches emerged• The Methodist Episcopal Church—On Christmas Eve of 1784, 60

American Methodist preachers met in Baltimore, Maryland to form the Methodist Episcopal Church, with the leadership of Dr. Cook and Asbury

• The United Brethren in Christ—Founded in 1800 as a German-speaking church that followed Methodist discipline by Philip Otterbein and Martin Boehm.

• The Evangelical Association—Led by Jacob Albright, first formed in 1803 as the Newly Formed Methodist Conference and later formally named The Evangelical Association.

• The United Methodist Church Today• In 1946, the United Brethren and the Evangelical Association

merged to form the Evangelical United Brethren (EUB)• On April 23, 1968, in Dallas, Texas, the Methodist Church (from the

lines of MEC) joined with EUB to form the United Methodist Church (UMC) until today.

Central Conference/Regions

2009

Members Clergy Churches

Conferences/Bishops

AFRICA 450,686

9,209 4,637 29/12CONGO 2,231,726

W. AFRICA 1,508,696

C/ST EUROPE 16,162

1,058 1,108 21/4GERMANY 32,305

NT EUROPE & EURASIA 15,293

PHILIPPINES/SE ASIA 145,642 1,712 1,371 24/3

UNITED STATES 7,679,850 45,186 33,614 59/49

TOTAL 12,080,360 57,165 40,730 133/68

Methodism Worldwide Today

Sources: Interpreter, July/August 2011

• We share a common heritage with other Christians• A conviction that God has mercy and love for all people.• A belief in a triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as

expressed in the Apostle Creed.• A faith in the mystery of salvation through Jesus Christ,

the resurrection of the death and everlasting life.• A celebration of the sacraments (baptism and

communion)• In these and many other ways, we believe, within “the

communion of saints,” a oneness in Christ.• We share 4 main guidelines for of our faith and practice

• Scripture as the first and primary source• Tradition• Experience, and• Reason

What We Believe

Who Can Become Members?• All “who desire to flee from the wrath to come.”

• All who earnestly repent of their sin and seek to live in peace with one another.

• All who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and are baptized in His name and promise to serve him as Lord.

• All who desire to participate in the life and ministry of the church by prayers, presence, gifts and service.

• All who desire to grow and experience the fullness of life in both their daily living and walking with God.

Steps to Become Members1. Come and worship with us as our guest and visitor, as many

time as God leads you. You are also welcome to join any of our programs and activities during the week.

2. Let us know of your desire to become a member. This can be done in one or two ways:

• You can indicate your desire in the Attendance/Interest Card inserted in the worship bulletin on Sunday, or

• Simply make your desire known to our pastors or members of the church

3. You will be invited to a Membership Orientation in which you will have the opportunity to meet and get to know our pastors, staff and ministry leaders better. We will share information about Christ Church, its ministries and the membership vows and other information. We would also want to know more about your faith journey. You will need to complete the New Member Information Sheet at this time if you still desire to become a member. A date will be set to receive you into membership on a Sunday in the near future.

4. Receiving into membership. You will be received into membership on a Sunday during worship service. The date and expectation are set at the meeting of Membership Orientation.

Invitation To The Journey

As Christians, we grow in the knowledge of and in relationship with God and in our fellowship and service with our neighbors—church families and community. With this in mind as imperative, and as you are now a member of our own “in the family of God”, we want to invite and welcome you to a journey of a life time with us. Our journey at Christ Church involves with regular worship attendance and all aspects of ministries, activities, spiritual education, stewardship, services, and caring of one another. We are blessed to have you joining us in the body of Christ Church.

Your Journey with Us

Your Journey with UsThe Goal for The JourneySelf is Lord

Judgment

Without reservation

Unprepared

Uncommitted

Dead to Christ

Alive to Sin

Disobedient

Fruits of the flesh

Old life

Things of God seem foolish

Jesus is Lord

Eternal Life

With reservation

Prepared

Committed

Alive to Christ

Dead to Sin

Obedient

Fruits of the Holy Spirit

New Life

Understand the things of God

Taking the Steps on the Journey

Unconcerned—not thinking about ultimate questions or spiritual matters

Concerned—questions about faith, eternal things, spiritual matters

Conviction—sense of sin, sense of guilt, desire to change

Repentance—turning away from sin and toward God

Saving Faith—lead of faith, “marriage vows”, justified by faith

Baby Stage—innocent, vulnerable, need food, care, love, pretty dependent, don’t know right & wrong

Early Disciple—follow, listen, watch, get the boat ready

Middle Disciple—assignments from God; sense gifts, ministry firsts

Late Disciple—Things are getting pretty clear

Sent Disciple—ready to be a worker

Your Journey with Us

Services and MinistriesWORSHIP

SPIRITUAL EDUCATION WITNESS

OUTREACH/

MEMBERS FELLOWSHIP

Scripture Reader

Greeter/Usher

Com. Steward

Choir/Band/Bell

Sanctuary Prep

Sound System

Coffee Hour

Sunday School

Disciple Class

Book Study

Bible Study

Confirmation

Seminars

Jail MinistrySt. Richard Din

Sat. Sack Lunch

RIC, CFC

Food Pantry

Prayer Shawl

Missionaries

Memb. Care

FU VisitorsGreen Greeters

ACA

Prime Times

Dart Ball

Cribbage

Bridge

TOP

YOUTH/

CHILDREN UMW OTHERS

OPERATION

MINISTRY TEAMS

Kid’s Club

Kids for Christ

Youth Band

Confirmation

Tutor Program

ASP, Boy Scout

VBS/Carnival

Circles

Luncheons

Cookie Walk

Mini BazaarFuneral Lunches

Shut-in/Upper Rm

Van Driver

Lawn CareChurch Garden

Snow Removal

Office Helps

Teachers

Leaders, Etc.

Worship, Witness, Trustee,

Spiritual Education. SPRC,

Outreach/Membership, Finance, Nomination, Prime Time Christian, Stewardship, Leadership, Youth Leaders,

Adm. Council, Etc.

CONTENT• Facts About Christ Church• Our Vision, Purpose and Values• Our Heritage• What we believe• Who can be a member?• Steps to become members• Your journey with us• Service and Ministries

If you have questions or interest in becoming a member, please feel free to email the church or talk

with one of our pastors.Email: christchurchracine@tds.net

We are looking forward to welcome you to Christ Church

We are blessed with your interest to become a part of Christ Church.

Please let us know how we can make your journey with us a success and spiritually rewarded.

GOD BLESS YOU!THANK YOU FOR VISITING OUR

WEBSITE AND MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION